Wonders of wood and willow

Now that schools are winding down for their Christmas break, here at FSC Preston Montford our attention is turning to our centre grounds and sprucing them up for winter.

Our Grounds Keeper, with the help of Anna and Sami our Education Assistant and Education Technician respectively, has been maintaining the steps that lead down to the beautiful River Severn. The edging board of the steps was rotten and the soil was beginning to slide down the bank making it difficult to navigate safely to the path below. Therefore, they have replaced the edging board with new wood to sure up the soil - we think that they look as good as new!

Anna and Ian sawing the supporting posts.

The new steps.

Along the side of our community garden, our Education Assistants have been busy planting hundreds (215 to be precise) of trees that will hopefully improve this area for wildlife and foraging. The trees were supplied by The Woodland Trust as a result of our Education Team successfully applying to a project earlier in the year. We received a mix of species including Cherry, Hazel, Elder, Wild Rose, Hawthorn, Downy Birch, Silver Birch and Oak. Hopefully this diversity will aid the resilience of the hedge and ensure that it lasts for years to come.

Hannah and Sami planting the trees in a trench.

Guards and bark mulch were added.

Lastly, our Education Team has been creating a willow fence in the sensory garden (Exploratorium). They began this task as part of a team-building afternoon. Sami marked out the line of the fence on the ground and then everyone helped to dig regularly spaced holes for the supporting poles. Into these the team hammered Alder stakes, traditionally you would use Hazel but the Alder lengths were more readily available, upside down (ensuring that the stakes will not grow into trees). The team then infilled the holes with the removed soil plus 30cm Alder stakes to compact the soil and secure the main poles. Next we weaved the willow through the poles. Beginning with the thickest section of our willow stem at the first pole, we weaved in, out, in, out, in and out. We then reversed this, placing the thickest section of our second willow stem at the last pole and followed our first stems pattern back: out, in, out, in, out and in. Therefore giving strength to our fence. Our subsequent pairing of stems alternated the pattern of the previous pair, again to give strength and a pleasing frame to our fence. It is hoped that over the next year we will create multiple fences, each slightly bigger than the one before and overlapping in the opposite direction to form a maze...amazing!

Sami showing us how to prep the willow.

The fence taking shape.

If you would like to explore our grounds, why not attend one of our courses next year (https://www.field-studies-council.org/individuals-and-families/search-for-courses.aspx) or email enquiries.pm@field-studies-council.org to arrange a visit. We also run Duke of Edinburgh sessions on every second and fourth Sunday of the month where we do conservation work around the centre. If you are aged 15-25, our grounds an also be explored through the Growing Confidence project[CT1]  www.field-studes-council.org/gc (Email gc@field-sudies-council.org for more details).

We wish you all a happy Christmas and best wishes for 2019.

Rain, Fire & Victorians

FSC Preston Montford recently hosted the national Key Stage 2 (Primary school pupils aged 7-11 years) training for the wider organisation, with delegates coming from across the country to share ideas and learn new skills to take back to their own centres.

As with most KS2 training events, spirits were high and staff were enthusiastic to get involved in the activities – aimed at primary school children, but enjoyed by the young at heart too.

Despite freezing conditions and driving rain, the first day was spent outside in the woods here at FSC Preston Montford learning some bush craft skills. We all took up the 5 minute challenge – 5 minutes to build a fire, light it using fire strikers and cotton wool, keep the fire going for at least one minute, fully extinguishing and then returning the site to its natural state. A challenge at the best of times but given the weather conditions, we were delighted that every group managed to at least light their fire in the allocated time! We also learned to tie a few knots, and used these skills to build a structure capable of supporting our own weight – which also went surprisingly well!

We had the chance to share a number of fun filler activities, for those moments when you have more time than expected. Such as when you are waiting for a coach or the rest of the group to collect forgotten items from their rooms. Our favourites were giants, wizards and dwarves (think rock-paper-scissors as a team game) and the very popular “FEET … OF … FURY!” (yes, it does have to be said like that with emphasis on every word). The latter begins with everyone standing in a circle, after which players take it in turns to step towards another player. The goal is to step lightly on another player’s foot and eliminate them from the game, whilst avoiding being stepped on yourself. There can only be one winner in this game of tactics and bravery (no backwards steps allowed here).

The FSC Preston Montford team were called upon by the organisers of the training to show the other delegates around one of their favourite places – Blists Hill museum. The team had great pleasure leading tours around the recreated Victorian town – complete with volunteers in period costume. The school experience was well received and was made more realistic when eight of our group arrived late, leading to a mock caning by the schoolmistress – best behaviour all! Overall, the excursion was thoroughly enjoyed by all staff - not just because of the sweet shop - but because of the immersive and interactive example of how to lead history field trips for this age group.

FSC Preston Montford tutors after passing Victorian teacher training.

We hope that all of our counterparts from the visiting centres left filled with inspiration and brimming with new ideas on how they can make their KS2 sessions even better. We know that we have some exciting things to share with our other team members.

If you are interested in our courses for primary schools, please contact us at enquiries.pm@field-studies-council.org for more information.

Halloween Harlequins

It’s dark outside and you, dear reader, are settled inside for the night. In the corner of your eye you notice a movement. Do you see it? There, lurking by the windows. It’s only small but as you turn your head you realise that there are many of them. The mass appears almost liquid-like as the creatures crawl up and over each other. As you move closer to inspect the source of your curiosity, you feel something hard hit your cheek. Suddenly unconfident, you reach for the light switch, the main light comes on and everything stops! The tight mass that previously was moving can now be clearly seen as a mound of red, orange and black. What are they? They my curious friend are ladybirds, Harlequin ladybirds (Harmonia axyridis), and generally not the source of nightmares.

Four of the hundred or more Harlequin ladybird colour pattern varieties
can be seen at the bottom of our FSC guide.

Alternatively known as the Halloween Ladybug in America - as they often appear in people’s homes around Jack-o’-lantern carving time - homes all around the UK, including FSC Preston Montford, are seeing an influx of these insects colonising the cosy corners by the windows and walls. This season’s abundance is likely induced by the continuous high temperatures over the summer. First arriving on our shores in September 2004, the Harlequin ladybird is native to central and eastern Asia (Kuznetsov, 1997). They were used as a biological control agent for aphids in North America due to their predatory efficiency and ability to colonise a range of habitats (Majerus, M. et al., 2006).

Unlike our native ladybirds that generally hibernate in trees or leaf litter (BBC News, 2018), the Harlequin ladybird prefers to over-winter in our warm buildings. So, does this resident pose a problem to us? For the most part, no, these ladybirds are generally harmless and can be left where they are (BBC News, 2018). If aggravated, the Harlequin ladybirds exude a defensive chemical from their joints which has an unpleasant smell and can stain soft furnishings (Majerus, M. et al., 2006). Not a trick you want played on you this Halloween! One of this ladybird’s favourite treats is the sap from fruits such as pears and apples, which help to build up the Harlequin’s energy reserves but could leave your fruit blemished (Majerus, M. et al., 2006) – maybe cover up your fruit bowl if you notice them taking an interest.

So what can you do until they awake from their slumber and head back into the garden? Well, you can upload your sightings onto iRecord so scientists can monitor the distribution of this invasive species. More information can be found on monitoring UK ladybirds at: http://www.ladybird-survey.org/default.aspx. Alternatively, you can make up your own ghoulish story about the ladybird lodger that appeared unannounced. We’re doing both with ours…Happy Halloween!

Sources

BBC News (2018) Harlequin ladybirds swarm into homes after hot summer. Available at: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-45766496 [Accessed on: 29^th October 2018]

Majerus, M. , Strawson, V. and Roy, H. (2006), The potential impacts of the arrival of the harlequin ladybird, Harmonia axyridis (Pallas) (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae), in Britain. Ecological Entomology, 31: 207-215.

Kuznetsov, V.N. (1997) Ladybeetles of Russian Far East. Memoir Seis Editor, CSE, Gainesville, Florida.

Mind you take time to get outdoors this autumn

As the nights are drawing in and the weather is taking a turn towards the lower end of the thermometer it is easy to retreat to the warmth and light of the indoor world. However, there is much magic to be discovered and many adventures to be had outdoors if you are well prepared.

Why not try one or more of the ideas below:

1. If you have recently been on one of our art courses, we challenge you to layer up (don’t forget to tuck your top layers into your bottom layers to prevent a chill in your mid-region), grab a flask of a hot beverage of your choice and put your skills into practise! The natural landscape is currently flecked with fiery reds and golds as deciduous leaves begin to change colour. This autumnal display could be captured by watercolour, pastels, photography or any other medium you wish to use.

2. String + leaves = Leaf garlands! Need I say more? Perfect to do with children and will make a lovely decoration for the hallway. Alternatively, if you would rather keep the leaves outside, you could make pictures with the leaves and then take a photo of your masterpiece.

Love the outdoors and get creative!

3. Keen to be active this autumn or just want to tire the children out? Take one of our FSC identification ID guides out on a walk with you and see what you can discover in your local area. We suggest the Mammal Tracks and Signs Chart, the Tree Identification Guide and the Features of the Shropshire Hills. Who said walks were just for the day time? Visit a familiar location that you can safely navigate (even your own garden will suffice) and take along our FSC Night Sky Chart, so that you can explore the stars – don’t forget a torch.

4. Psssst, budding storytellers! Many constellations and most of the planets are linked to Roman or Greek mythology. With a bit of prior research you could impress your friends and family with your stories around a campfire or fire pit in the garden.

5. Need a helping hand into the world outside, enquire about our Growing Confidence events for young people with our Growing Confidence Officer Jenni - j.duffell@field-studies-council.org. Alternatively, find out more about the variety of day events and residentials on offer at https://www.facebook.com/pg/GrowingConfidence/events/. Previous events have included foraging for free food, looking at the wildlife in our centre ponds and a day exploring the shoreline on the North Welsh coast.

Life in our pond - Great Diving Beetle larvae

6. Wildlife lovers, it is time to begin thinking about feeding the birds again. As the fruits are devoured from our hedgerows and trees, it is important to provide an alternative source of sustenance for our feathery friends (please avoid putting out bread, as it has little nutritional value). If last winter is anything to go by, they are going to need it!

Our daily lives can be quite hectic, always fliting from one task to the next and not always pausing to take time to enjoy the moment or to smell the roses as my Grandpa would say.

Mental health is a subject that is increasingly being talked about on the national stage - this year alone 74% of 4,619 people who undertook an online poll for YouGov said that they felt unable to cope or were overwhelmed by stress (Mental Health Foundation, 2018). This stress could be due to expectations that were placed them – business targets, teaching targets, repayment targets – or that they place on themselves – personal targets. However, these different types of stress inducers are relatable to all of us. Whether it is the desire to deliver an outstanding lesson every time we teach, to get straight A* in our A levels, to keep our houses as neat as a show home or to be able to narrate the entire series of Blue Planet in David Attenborough’s voice (I try so hard). Stress is a natural part of all our lives but it shouldn’t seem like it is growing inside of us exponentially to a breaking point.

Today (30^th September) is National GetOutside Day, so we are encouraging all of you to take some time out of your busy lives to connect with your surroundings and put your own wellbeing first…today, tomorrow and whenever you just need to find the natural you again.

 

The dramatic landscape of the Stiperstones, South Shropshire

Sources:

Mental Health Foundation (2018), Mental Health Statistics: Stress, available from: https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/statistics/mental-health-statistics-stress [Accessed on: 26^th September 2018]

Himalayan Balsam Bashing

Preston Montford is trying to reduce invasive Himalayan Balsam from our land that borders the River Severn, and thanks to our Sunday Duke of Edinburgh volunteer group (aged 14-25yrs), we are well on the way to Balsam eradication.

Himalayan Balsam is an invasive species that was introduced into the UK as a garden plant. It tolerates damp ground and is a particular problem along our UK watercourses. It grows from May to September and grows particularly tall and densely, shading out native vegetation which reduces the biodiversity of riverside vegetation. Furthermore, during the winter as it dies back, it leaves riverbanks unvegetated and vulnerable to erosion, releasing sediment into the river, which can be a problem for some aquatic wildlife.

At Preston Montford, the seeds from plants further upstream in the River Severn get trapped on our banks and grow. We have a VERY HEALTHY population of Himalayan Balsam and want to do our best to eradicate it from our land. It will take a long term continued attempt to take the plants out every year and involve solutions on a catchment scale from other landowners to completely eradicate the problem. In the meantime, if we can do our bit, we hope not to make the problem worse. This is where our volunteer crew come in very handy. Literally.

We handpull the Balsam, which is very labor intensive, so we rely on volunteers throughout the summer to come and take out the plants. Here are some before and after shots of one of the sections the team tackled earlier this month. We took 2 hours to clear an area the size of a footbal pitch and our volunteers found it really hard to stop for their cake break as they just wanted compulsively to carry on pulling – hooray! Here is a before and after shot of one 15 minutes of work.

Although it was a cooperative team effort to clear the area, competition for the tallest plant soon started, and it was every person for themselves. The winner was Ewan pictured above with what we estimate to be a 10ft plant!

If you have Himalayan Balsam growing near you, you can pull up the stems from late May until the seed heads form (usually mid-late August). Simply pull them out by the roots, break the stem and leave them scattered to rot on site. You can cover with a tarpaulin to speed up the rotting process. Strimming and grazing with cattle and ponies will also do the trick. (Source: Countryside Council for Wales leaflet & www.himalayanbalsamwales.co.uk)

If you are aged 14-25 and would like to volunteer either as part of your DofE award or just for fun, please contact us at enquiries.pm@field-studies-council.org. We do our conservation tasks here at Preston Montford 10.30-12.30 every 2^nd and 4^th Sunday.

A wild week of work experience

Since July is one of our busiest months in the year, it provides a great opportunity for school students to come and gain valuable work experience with us at the centre. Over the last few weeks, we have been fortunate to have four work experience students with us who have helped out with our daily data recording and tasks, as well as coming out on teaching days and taking part in various activities around the centre grounds. Below they describe what they did during their time with us.

Julianne:
My week at Preston Montford has been a fantastic opportunity to confirm my interest in pursuing a career in zoology and conservation. One of my favourite experiences was recording the moths caught overnight in the skinner moth trap and it was interesting seeing the many different and impressive species, including Poplar Hawkmoths! Once identified, each moth was released into the vegetation where they could hide from predators. We also walked through the Preston Montford grounds to record butterfly populations and identify species in different habitats. Furthermore, we also went on a bird-spotting walk which I found really engaging due to my natural interest in birds and I enjoyed learning their calls to identify them. One of the more botanical tasks I helped with was willow coppicing. I learned about willow growth and how to maintain it in order to encourage growth.

Moth Identification - Poplar Hawkmoth

Jane:
I completed a week of work experience at Preston Montford where I helped to take daily records of the weather and send the data to the MET Office and also helped to set up the teaching equipment for the school groups that visited. Whilst completing a butterfly walk and doing some willow cutting, we also had a good laugh as it was really good fun. Doing all of the centre tasks with the education team has really opened my eyes to the conservation work they do behind the scenes; a lot of work goes into running the centre, but the staff are one big team which makes it an enjoyable place to work. To anyone who is thinking of a place to do your work experience, Preston Montford is one place I would definitely recommend. There is so much to help with, including teaching, grounds maintenance and wildlife identification.

Max:
My week has been very enjoyable and very informative; I chose to work at the field studies centre because I am currently taking geography for my GCSEs and I wanted to learn more about the subject to help with my understanding of the natural environment. I was very nervous when I first started, however the staff at Preston Montford made me feel very welcome and comfortable straight away! I got a detailed tour of the centre and it was fascinating to see how much goes on there. I enjoyed learning how to take weather readings, such as the amount of sunlight hours in a day and how much rainfall fell in the last 24 hours. I also got to have a go at moth trapping; I have never been too keen on moths but once I got to see them up close, I realised they weren’t so bad after all and are actually really varied. We managed to catch some really interesting species, such as hawk moths and peppered moths, which were my favourites because they have cool patterns on their wings. Taking part in the team meeting was also really useful to see how teams operate and how much planning goes into teaching to the centre. I have gained a lot of new knowledge about birds, butterflies and moths and conservation tasks, as well as about every day work life.

Conservation Task - coppicing willow

Georgie: 
If you’re interested in going into a career in the environment or you just love wildlife and being outdoors, I would definitely recommend Preston Montford FSC as a place to do work experience. My week at Preston Montford FSC involved a variety of tasks which allowed me to get hands on experience with surveying butterflies, bees and moths as well as helping out behind the scenes with office and laboratory work. There is also an opportunity to observe teaching skills of the tutors who teach a variety of topics including pond life identification and analysis, as well as river studies at Carding Mill Valley. Working at FSC Preston Montford reinforced my interest in wanting to work in the environment and enlightened me about the different paths I can take. One of my favourite moments has to be identifying the moths as I have never seen such a variety of species before! Thank you so much to all the staff at Preston Montford FSC who are so friendly and welcoming, I would definitely want to come back!

Looking for pond life

If you are interested in completing some work experience at Preston Montford, you can get in touch with us by email (enquiries.pm@field-studies-council.org) or phone 01743852040. It is a great chance to get some experience in a growing sector.

Things that go bump in the night...

Here at FSC Preston Montford whilst the staff and (hopefully!) students are soundly asleep, our centre wildlife comes alive with activity.

As part of our species monitoring efforts, we have various methods to keep track of what’s going on.

Skinner moth trap:

From Spring to Autumn, once a week, our Skinner moth trap is put out overnight. Its brilliant bright bulb (don’t look directly at it once it’s fully lit up!) attracts moths in the area. They fall into the trap and find a nice selection of empty egg boxes to rest in for the remainder of the night. In the morning, members of our team retrieve the trap and set to work identifying the catch before releasing them again. The team has become very skilled at moth ID and can tell a Hebrew Character from a Common Quaker.

Common Quaker Moth

Hebrew Character Moth

Hedgehog tunnel:

This is our most low tech, but possibly my favourite, of our night time monitoring kit. A toblerone-shaped tunnel is set out overnight. In the middle of the tunnel is a plate with cat food on it to attract our favourite spiky creatures. As they enter the tunnel they walk through a strip of ink (don’t worry it’s non-toxic and biodegradable) which then causes them to leave a trail of footprints across the paper sheet. In the morning we’re left with a network of tiny footprints to identify the owners – again a real skill!

Bat detectors:

Bats catch their prey and navigate using a high frequency sound which they emit as a series of clicks. The sound bounces back to the bat and they know where things are - echolocation. We can’t normally hear their noises with our ears as the frequency is too high. However, with the use of a bat detector, the high frequency sounds can be lowered to our audible range. Each species of bat is identifiable by the noises that it makes – the frequency and series of clicks or slaps is unique to each. With a bat detector and a field guide, you can identify a common pipistrelle from a noctule.

Night vision camera trap:

Our coolest spy-like gadget is our camera trap, which can be strapped to a tree and left out overnight. Anything that sets off its motion sensor will get caught on camera and stored on the SD card. If you leave it in a known wildlife hotspot and point it the right way, you might just get some awesome shots or video footage of something interesting! Alternatively you can just end up with awkward shots of yourself and branches swaying in the wind… Worth the effort to get a badger wandering by, or an otter along the river.

Caught on camera - badger

Longworth mammal traps:

Our most used monitoring kit and a favourite of visiting school groups. These humane, small mammal traps are set out under hedges stocked with hay, various foods and some apple (for the juice). We return the next morning to check them and usually have a selection of mice and voles to show the children. Occasionally, the elusive shrew will even put in an appearance! The creatures are all released promptly and are left well-fed and rested and unharmed by the experience.

Whilst some of these are not going to be suitable for home use, a bat detector or a hedgehog tunnel is certainly worth considering for use in the garden! We definitely enjoy checking in the morning to see what’s been going on in the night!

If you would like to learn more about these monitoring techniques, why not browse our courses list to find one relevant to your interests - http://www.field-studies-council.org/centres/prestonmontford/learn/natural-history.aspx